This assignment is for the Report section outlined in the syllabus, worth 15% of your final grade.
Instructions:
1. Select a movie that features a natural disaster.
2. Introduce the scientific principles of the natural disaster, using references such as the textbook, the U.S.G.S. website (http://www.usgs.gov/) and other references listed under the Internet Resources document on Blackboard. Informative figures are also encouraged. Cite your references at the end of the paper.
3. Describe how the disaster was portrayed in the movie. Was the disaster portrayed accurately? Describe any inaccuracies you identified. Why do you think the movie chose to represent certain aspects inaccurately?
4. What did you enjoy about the movie? What did you dislike?
5. Length is 3-5 pages, double spaced.
Grading Criteria:
An A paper is free from grammatical errors, contains a lot of quality information about the selected natural disaster, follows all of the instructions listed above, and is a compelling read.
A B paper contains a few grammatical errors, contains adequate information about the natural disaster, follows all/most of the instructions above, and is interesting.
A C paper contains several grammatical errors, contains some scientific information, follows some of the instructions, and is readable.
A D paper has many grammatical errors, has a small amount of scientific information, follows a few of the instructions, and is difficult to read.
An F paper? Shudder the thought
Movie Selection: Please do not use the movies 10.5, Dantes Peak, An Inconvenient Truth, Hereafter, Twister, or Hurricane Katrina: the storm that drowned a city. We have/will watch and discuss these movies, and my hope is for you to carry out this exercise independently. There are many other movies listed in the Syllabus-Course Schedule that are fair game, along with any other movie you can convince me is appropriate.Movie for the paper: the perfect storm